"	Gene's Story or How I Gained a Cousin A novel by Karen Lockhart Copyright 2016

CHAPTER 30

Saturday dawned damp and cold; I really hated to toss back the duvet, but the loo called. I finished my business, and stepped into the shower. A shower is a great place to think, and I kept going over in my head our plans for dealing with the Morales threat. The more I thought about it, the more I liked it.

Ginny started banging on the door, “If you're going to be in there so long, leave the door unlocked.”

I gave her the answer I used before. “Go pee in a jar, you still can you know.”

This happens too often with two women wanting the bathroom. But I saw Janet Leigh get it in the shower, so even when I was alone, I locked the door.

I quickly wrapped a towel around me, and unlocked the door. Ginny almost knocked me over in her rush for the toilet. I admit I snickered a little as I walked back to my bedroom. I put on my bra and panties and sat down in front of my vanity table, determined to look at least as good as Ginny today. I found things I haven't used in months in the drawers. Moisturizer! What is this used for? Lip liner! Why would I want to write a line around my lips? I think I need to ask Ginny for tips on how to look girly.

Oh well, I just did what I do every other day, a little mascara and a light pink lippy. A quick squirt of smell good and I was done.

I put on my riding jodhpurs and boots and threw a sweater over a long sleeved jersey, figuring it would be cold in Cathy's unheated arena.

By this time Ginny was out of the shower, made up and dressed in a pair of jeans and cross country trainers.

“Perfect timing Ginny, why don't you toss a couple of bagels into the toaster oven and I'll make coffee.”

I went to the door,, retrieved the morning newspaper, and looked at the front page. This paper looks more and more like one you'd buy while in line at a supermarket. “Global warming linked to UFOs says scientist at Harvard.”

If true, that would take the pressure off the oil companies.

Over coffee and bagels, Ginny and I went over our plans for making friends with Tina Morales again. In the morning light, it still seemed the best way to protect Ginny from Morales' libido.

We cleaned up and headed out and for once Ginny drove. There wasn't much conversation as we went north on Route 1. We both were lost in our thoughts, me about my lesson, Ginny probably about Kevin.

As per our plan, we arrived early; this would give me time to get my horse ready with time to visit Tina and introduce her to my “cousin”.

I went into Freddy's stall, removed his blanket, and started brushing his coat till it shone. While I was doing this, Ginny was overcoming her fear of horses and stood in the doorway talking to him. I went to the tack room and got my saddle and bridle from my rack on the wall.

I tacked him up and slipped his halter back on over the bridle. This allowed me to leave him and walk down to see Tina.

I gestured to Ginny to follow me and we arrived at her stall at the same time as she did.

“Morning Ellen, who's that behind you?” Tina asked, “I saw her riding in the cart with Kevin last week, But Dad and I left before I got a chance to introduce myself.”

Oh boy, this is better than what I planned!

“Tina Morales, this is my cousin Ginny, she's staying with me at the condo for a while.”

Tina stuck out her hand, “I'm happy to meet you Ginny, my, you are as pretty as can be.”

With that she opened the stall door and put her horse on the cross-ties.

“Are you interested in riding, or just here to watch?” she asked, “If you want to ride, Cathy has a beginner lesson going on now in the arena. I think there's room for one more student.”

Ginny visibly paled, “I'll never get that close to a horse.”

Tina laughed. “That's what everyone says at first, then the next time we see them, they're trotting around the arena with a smile on their face.”

She and I swapped knowing glances.

“The only way she'll trot around the ring is if she's thigh to thigh with Kevin in his cart, Tina, haven't you noticed her panting when he's around?”

Ginny turned bright red, started to stutter something, and turned away to the sound of our giggling.

“Aren't we awful? The poor kid. We should call her back and apologize,” Tina said. “I feel bad, five minutes after being introduced, I tease her.”

“She'll get over it, I tease her all the time.” I took a deep breath, “Her biggest problem is me, her old cousin. She has no other friends, especially her own age. I was going to ask if you would be interested in showing her around, maybe taking her to the mall. Every time I go with her, I get grief about my taste in fashion.”

Tina perked up at that. “I would love to, I hardly have any friends either, everyone's afraid of my father. They think he'll have them killed, especially the boys! No boy wants to deal with his stare when he picks me up.”

Oh wow, mission accomplished!

“Ginny, I'm sorry we teased you, come back.”

Reluctantly, she walked back to the stall. By now Tina was getting her horse ready, so Ginny had to stand in the doorway.

“Look Ginny, after the lesson why don't we go to Dunkin Donuts for coffee, and talk. I'll send my father home if you and Ellen will give me a ride.”

Ginny looked at me before speaking. “I'd love to, the only one I have to talk to is my ancient cousin.”

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but Ginny's digs will never kill me.

“Are you ladies ready, or do you want to gab instead of ride?” Cathy asked “Let's go, you are holding every one up.”

I slipped the halter off Freddy, grabbed a rein and led him into the arena, hopped on with the use of a mounting block, and warmed him up.

The lesson went great!

Ginny followed Tina to her stall where her father was waiting. “Dad, this is Virginia Hansen, Ellen's cousin. Ginny, this is my father, Vincent Morales.”

“Delighted to meet such a pretty lady,” he was undressing Ginny with his eyes.

“Dad, stop that! Ginny's my friend, and I want you to leave her alone. Go somewhere else and do that. You wonder why I have no friends!”

Vinny Morales actually looked sheepish. “Sorry kid, I can't help it. Ginny, forgive me. I'm pleased to meet you; I've met your cousin, but I have never seen you here before.”

“Forgiven,” Ginny said with a smile, “I finally got talked into coming up here by Ellen.”

“Daddy, why don't you head out? Ginny, Ellen, and I are going for coffee, they'll give me a ride home. I'll be fine.”

“If you're sure?” he said, “Then I'll see you when you come home.”

With that he headed back to his limo.

About this time, Kevin showed up. “How's things going?” he asked as he stepped into Freddy's stall. “I got worried.”

“It went better than I expected, Ginny met the dragon, and everything's fine, as a matter of fact, we're having coffee with Tina in a few minutes. That means no tonsil tennis between you and Ginny.”

Kevin turned a little red at that, and shrugged, “Okay, I'll walk down and say hi, before I take Doc into the arena.”

I confirmed my next lesson with Cathy, than got into the back seat of Ginny's SUV, leaving the front seat for Tina.

After a minute or two, the two girls came out and hopped into the car.

We arrived at the coffee shop and sat down. Tina and I talking horses right away. I could see Ginny's eyes starting to glaze over, so I changed the subject to the Macy's flyer I saw in the morning's newspaper. At that the two of them made plans to go there Sunday and take advantage of a pre-Christmas sale, sorry, pre-holiday sale.

We finished our coffees and with her directions drove Tina home. The two of them gabbed from Newbury all the way to Andover.

After dropping Tina off I got into the front seat. “When I make a plan, do I make a plan, or what!”

Ginny looked at me with tears in her eyes. “Thank you Ellen, but I thought I was going to faint while being introduced to Morales. He's really scary.”

“Now you have two friends, Tina and Kevin. Hey don't forget, we fly out to Colorado early Monday morning to visit that clinic. I plan to watch football games all day long with no interruptions tomorrow. Speaking of football, I think FSU is playing Georgia today. Lets get ourselves inside.

Sunday was football for me, shopping for Virginia!

To be continued

Many thanks to Bronwen Welsh for her help in correcting typos and spelling